Hermann blatt



U ATS HERMANN BLAU, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERMANN BLAU, of the city of VaShingtOn, in the District of Columbia, have invented an Improved Carpet-Stretcher; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ot this specification, Figures l and 2 being side views of the portions c and of said carpetstretclier detached from each other; Figs. 3 and 4, edge views ot the said parts united; Fig. 5, a side view of the portion c (Z of said invention; and Fig. 6, a view ot' the several parts of my improved carpet-stretcher united to each other and placed in the proper position for stretching a carpet.

The portions a. and b, ot' my improved carpet-stretcher are slender angular bars made of some light and stiff material and having notches formed in one edge of each of said bars. The bar a, has a series of pins e, e, projecting from one of its sides which correspond with each other in size and which are placed at equal distances from each other. The bar b, has a series of holes f, formed in one side thereof which are of such a size and are placed at such distances from each other, that the pins c, e, ot' the bar a, will tit accurately within the holes in the bar b, whether a greater or a less number of said pins are received into said holes for the purpose of uniting the said bars to each other and making ot' them one elongated notched bar, as shown in Figs. 3, and 4.

Then three or more pins of the bar a, are inserted into holes in the bar the said bars require no additional fastening to keep them together when in use; but when only two of the pins of the bar a, are inserted int-o holes in the bar Z), an auxiliary tastening of some kind is required. I generally use a strap and buckle for said auxiliary fastening as represented in Fig. 4L, but any other suitable auxiliary fastening may be substituted for said strap and buckle.

One end of each of the bars a, and Z), is covered by a cushion CZ, for the purpose of preventing any injury to the paint in any portion of a room against which the said ends may be placed to serve as a fulcrum in stretching a carpet. A broad stretching fork 7, is combined with one end of a lever c, and

the opposite end of said lever is shaped like a detent or ratchet, for the purpose of enabling it to tit securely into the notches of the bars a, and Z).

My improved carpet-stretcher is operated in the following manner, to wit: The teeth of the t'ork g, having been inserted in the edge of a carpet, the outer end ot' one of the bars o., or 1,- or of an elongated bar composed of both of them united,is placed against the wash-board, or some other suitable support in an opposite portion of the room, and then the inner end of the lever c, is inserted in one of the notches in said ratchet ba r-or united bars-as shown in F ig. 6,-when a small amount of downward torce at the angle of junction `of the said ratchetbar and lever, which can be exerted by a small boy, will throw outward the fork g,

with a sutiicient degree of power to smoothly stretch the largest the stii'estand the heavicst carpet.

It will readily be perceived that by placing the ratchet-end of the lever c, in the ditterent notches of the bars a, or Z), or of an elongated bar composed of both of said bars united, my improved carpet-stretcher can be adapted to the stretching ot' carpets in rooms ot` all sizes and proportions.

I am aware that a carpet-fork has been combined with one end of one of the legs of a pair of permanently hinged and no-nadjustable levers, and I am also aware thatthe legs of a carpet-stretcher have been combined with each other by means of a movable pin and a series of holes, Vand therefore I do not claim such articles as my inventions,-but

IVhat I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

My greatly improved and doubly extensible carpet-stretcher, composed of the combined notched bars a, and Z), and the iorkarmed ratchet lever c, combined with each other and operating substantially as herein set forth.

The above specification of my improved carpet stretcher, signed this 6th day of J anuary 1858.

HERMANN BLAU.

Witnesses Z. C, ROBBINS, JNO. G. THOMPSON. 

